Our Review
At a glance
This credit card is the Best Credit Card in Canada for insurance.
For a limited time, you can earn a $300 cashback as a welcome bonus.
With this Card, you can earn up to 2 points per dollar on all your purchases.
You can then use your points in many ways:
- Statement credit for travel purchases
- Statement credit for all purchases
- To get Gift Cards
This Credit Card is the only one in Canada to offer up to $250 in travel credit each calendar year:
- $100 for airport parking
- $100 for baggage fees
- $50 for seat selection fees
Finally, you benefit from reliable insurance on your travel and purchases:
- Up to 60 days of travel insurance coverage
- Triple Extended Warranty on most purchases
$250 refund on travel expenses per year
Through NBC’s Wise Travellers Program, each calendar year, National Bank World Elite Mastercard cardholders have access to a total of $250 applicable on some travel expenses.
| Expenses | Credit |
| Airport parking | $100 |
| Baggage fees | $100 |
| Seat selection | $50 |
Access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau (YUL)
National Bank World Elite Mastercard Credit cardholders are the only National Bank clients who now have free unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau Airport.
The cardholder and 1 guest have complimentary access to the lounge upon presenting the National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard®.
This is a significant advantage for frequent flyers: the lounge is accessible for all international flights.
NBC À la carte Rewards
Earn NBC À la carte Rewards points
With this credit card, you can earn points based on your net spending over a 12-month period:
| Expenses | Points per dollar |
| $0 to $40,000 | 1.5 points |
| $40,001 – $80,000 | 2 points |
| $80,001 and more | 1.5 points |
NBC points earning is really interesting for the $40,001 – $80,000 range: you will earn 2 points per dollar (which can be worth up to 2% in travel rewards). In the other ranges, it is 1.5 points or a 1.5% return.
The best use of NBC À la carte Rewards points
The best use of your NBC points earned with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard will be through the À la Carte Travel agency: 10,000 points per $100 when you redeem more than 50,000 points.
It’s the best use you can make of your NBC points!
How to redeem NBC points?
In order to redeem your NBC Rewards points, you have to go on the NBC À La Carte Travel website.
You will be able to book a trip with your points (+ additional cash if required) via the “Voyage à la carte” agency. The rates are the same as those you will find at any travel agency.
It is also possible to redeem your NBC points as a statement credit for all travel expenses you have charged to your credit card (redemption must be made within 60 days after the expense was charged to your credit card).
Eligible purchases include: flights, vacation packages, car rentals, hotel accommodations, cruises, condominium or cottage reservations for tourism, excursions, camping…
However, for this type of redemption, the rate is different (see table below).
You will see in this table that the best use of NBC points is to book your trip through the online travel agency “Plan à la carte NBC”: from 50,000 points redeemed, you get $100 for 10,000 points. So 50,000 points = $500.
| Reward Category | Points required for a $100 credit |
| Gift-card | 12 000 – 13 500 |
| Flexible travel discounts | 12 000 |
| Flexible travel discounts (from 55,000 points redeemed) |
11 000 |
| NBC À la carte travel agency redemptions | 10 500 |
| NBC À la carte travel agency redemptions (from 50,000 points) |
10 000 |
| Extras À La Carte | 12 000 |
Reliable travel insurance
With the National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard®, you get reliable travel insurance (you can find the insurance document there).
As you will see in details below, some travel insurance policies only require you to charge a portion of the cost of the trip to your credit card: this is useful for points and miles enthusiasts who only charge taxes or some additional fees to their credit card!
Travel Medical Insurance (outside province of residence)
The National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard offers different coverage for emergency travel medical insurance depending on:
- the person’s age
- the length of the trip
| Age | Maximum trip time frame |
| 54 and under | 60 days |
| 55 to 64 | 31 days |
| 65 to 74 | 15 days |
| 75 years or older | no coverage |
Trip Cancellation / Trip Interruption Insurance
For most of its insurance, the National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard is one of Canada’s only credit cards to cover you even if you only charge a portion of the cost of the trip to it.
The following expenses will be reimbursed (…) provided that a portion or the entire cost of the trip was charged to the account
Banque Nationale du Canada
| Insurance | Coverage |
| Trip cancellation (before departure) | up to $2,500 per insured person |
| Trip interruption (after departure) | up to $5,000 per insured person |
Insurance in case of theft or loss of luggage
The National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard® covers you if at least part of the trip’s cost has been charged to the account.
| Insurance | Coverage |
| Lost or Stolen Baggage Insurance | up to $1,000 per person |
Flight delay insurance
The National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard® covers you if at least part of the trip’s cost has been charged to the account.
| Insurance | Coverage |
| Flight delay of more than 4 hours | $250 per day (maximum of $500 per insured person) |
Insurance in case of baggage delay
The National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard covers you if the total travel cost on a common carrier has been charged to your account.
| Insurance | Coverage |
| Baggage insurance in case of delay | up to $500 per person (more than 6 hours) |
Car Rental Insurance
The National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard® covers you if you pay the full cost of your car rental with your credit card (or use your points from the NBC À La Carte Rewards program).
Similarly, personal belongings in the vehicle are protected.
| Insurance | Coverage |
| Vehicle rental (48 days or less) | Vehicle valued at up to $65,000
Theft of personal belongings up to $2,000 |
Insurance for your purchases
The National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard® is one of Canada’s only credit cards to offer 180-day purchase protection (that’s 6 months from the date of purchase). Other credit cards offer only 90 days (3 months).
Besides, the National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard® is one of Canada’s only credit cards to triple the coverage period of new items covered by an original manufacturer’s warranty valid in Canada.
| Insurance | Coverage |
| Against theft or breakage for 180 days | up to $60,000 |
| Get up to triple the manufacturer’s warranty | up to 2 additional years |
Conclusion
It is a card that is clearly aimed at travellers, particularly from Quebec, because of the access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL).
Its Smart Travellers program allows you to get up to $250 per calendar year for some travel expenses, and its insurance is excellent. Its generous insurance is the best strength of this card versus the competition.
Offer
- Earn a $300 cashback if you charge $4,000 to your Card in the first three months
- Up to 2 points per dollar spent
- Get a refund of up to $250 per year on seat selection, airport parking and baggage fees
- Enjoy up to 60 days’ coverage with our travel, trip cancellation/interruption, baggage loss and car rental insurance
- Trade you reward points without restrictions: gift cards, branded articles and travel rebates.
- Experience the ultimate in comfort at the National Bank VIP Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau Airport
Fees & Conditions
Advantages
Value
We estimate the value of the welcome offer during the first year for all the credit card offers. Are taken into consideration:
- The value of cash back or points earned
- The value of the benefits or credits earned with the Card
- The annual fee value (offered or not)
| Calculation of the offer value in the first year |
|
| Value per point | 0.9 ¢ |
| Welcome bonus | $300 |
| Annual Travel Credit | up to $250 |
| Unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge (YUL) (an estimated $35 value per access) |
about $140 |
| Annual fee | $150 |
| Value | approximately $540 |
Insurance
Legal
Offer valid from February 1st to May 31, 2021 for National Bank® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card. Credit card is issued subject to credit approval by National Bank. Certain conditions apply.
You will receive a $300 cashback if $4,000 in net purchases is charged to the credit card account within the first three months following enrolment. The cashback will be credited to your account on the 4th or 5th statement after your account is opened.
To take advantage of this offer, you must sign up for National Bank World Elite® Mastercard credit card before May 31, 2021 and activate it no later than June 15, 2021.
The offer begins and the net purchases charged to your card are calculated starting the month following the account opening (for example, if the account is opened on February 15th, purchases will be calculated starting March 1st). Net purchases between the first and the last calendar day of the month are calculated.
Net purchases refer to the amount in purchases charged to the account less returns and refunds. Annual fees, balance transfers, cash advances, cash transactions, interest charges and any other fees and adjustments are not included in the calculation. The net purchases charged to your card are calculated starting the first day of the month following the account opening.
The account must be in good standing for the cashback to be awarded.
This promotion is intended for individuals who do not have a National Bank Mastercard credit card and have not held a National Bank credit card within the last 24 months.
The offer is not applicable when opening an additional card.
This offer cannot be combined with any other National Bank promotion.
National Bank reserves the right to end this promotion at any time without notice.
For credit terms and conditions applicable to the product, click here.